Tony Bergstrom, the first pick made by general manager Reggie McKenzie in 2012, has become a question mark to even make the team this summer.

Tony Bergstrom, the first pick made by general manager Reggie...

Reggie McKenzie either wears pressure well, with his easy-going nature and big, sleepy grin, or he just doesn't feel it. McKenzie's third NFL draft as the Raiders' general manager starts Thursday night, and while fans and the owner are still looking for one impact young player, McKenzie is unfazed.

"It's always my goal to not only hit on your picks, but just to be right in everything that we do," McKenzie said. "This year, I am more excited. I can't call that pressure."

After back-to-back 4-12 seasons, many around the NFL think this is a must-win season for not only coach Dennis Allen but for McKenzie as well. But McKenzie said he won't change his approach to the draft.

"You draft for the future," McKenzie said Thursday at a news conference with Bay Area media. "You don't draft for right now. That's not the way you do it. That's not the way I do it."

Oakland picks fifth in the first round Thursday night (Rounds 2 and 3 are Friday, Rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday. An offseason that saw the Raiders add many veteran free agents - including quarterback Matt Schaub, running back Maurice Jones-Drew, defensive linemen Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley, and cornerbacks Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers - has left McKenzie with fewer glaring holes to fill in the draft.

"I'm not going to feel like I have to take anybody, really," McKenzie said. "It gives us a clear vision."

Dating to last season, both McKenzie and Allen have stated the need for offensive and defensive playmakers, and there could be some star-quality ones available at No. 5 Thursday. While South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney will be long gone, Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack and Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins could both be available.

Marquee offensive tackle prospects Greg Robinson (Auburn) and Jake Matthews (Texas A&M) are also expected to go in the first six picks, and it's anybody's guess how early the top two quarterbacks, A&M's Johnny Manziel and Central Florida's Blake Bortles, will go.

McKenzie said he is open to trading up, staying put or trading down for more picks.

"We are going to add some impact players," he said. "This is a good draft."

Fans, and Raiders owner Mark Davis, hope so. Davis has described the last two 4-12 seasons as a "deconstruction phase" in the rebuilding process, but he also said he would have liked to see some new bricks in place by now.

McKenzie has one starter to show for his two draft classes so far.

He didn't have any picks in the first or second round in 2012, but his first-ever selection for the Raiders, third-round guard Tony Bergstrom, is in real danger of being cut after training camp this summer. Other picks that year, linebacker Miles Burris, defensive end Jack Crawford and receiver Juron Criner, are all buried on the depth chart.

Last year, McKenzie traded down from the third spot and picked cornerback DJ Hayden with the 12th pick.

Hayden was a reach, especially considering he had life-saving surgery for a torn heart vein and had his chest cut open. He then needed a follow-up procedure, missed most of the offseason training program and then struggled, looking small at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, in the eight games he played.

Hayden then injured his groin and missed the last eight games. But Hayden has hit the weights hard this winter and spring, and Allen is confident that he will have a breakout season.

The coaching staff is actually high on last year's rookie class as a whole, especially linebacker Sio Moore (the one starter), tight end Mychal Rivera, defensive tackle Stacy McGee and tackle Menelik Watson - who is slated to start on the right side of the line.

There was the big whiff on fourth-round pick Tyler Wilson, who the Raiders cut twice and brought back before he was finally claimed by the Titans.

In the past 14 months, McKenzie also dealt Carson Palmer, traded for Matt Flynn and cut him, saw undrafted rookie Matt McGloin prove to be a reliable backup and traded away Terrelle Pryor, so the swinging doors at the quarterback position are still moving a little.

Which is why the March trade of a sixth-round pick for starter Schaub was so important.

"What it does is just give us some stability at that position, and we needed that," McKenzie said. "Because we traded for Schaub does that mean we're going to bypass a (quarterback) that we've got graded a certain way? No."